100 Years
by JackGirl
Summary: A set of drables based on the song "100 Years" by Five For Fighting. PeterCentric.  Complete and edited.
1. Chapter I

07/30/2011: I am going through and checking everything and re-posting so it is all in the same format.

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Part I

_I'm 15 for a moment_

_Caught in between 10 and 20_

He stared at the mirror. A boy stared back. Not a man, not the king he was familiar with. A boy. For some so many people becoming a child again would be a blessing, a chance to start over. But for Peter Pevensie, it was a curse. His reflection reminding him that he was only a shadow of his former self. Taunting him with what was, and what would never be. Oh, he knew he would grow up again, but in this dreary land he could never become magnificent.


	2. Chapter II

Part II

_And I'm just dreaming_  
_Counting the ways to where you are_

Peter knew it had to be a dream. England could never be this perfect. The glittering sea just visible in the distance... Cair Paravel atop the cliffs... But most important to Peter was The Lion directly in front of him. He ached to throw his arms around Aslan. But, when on rare occasions he had this dream instead of his usual nightmares, Peter awoke when he tried to touch The Lion. So Peter was content to simply look at The Lion, dreaming of returning to Him and Narnia for eternity.


	3. Chapter III

Part III

_I'm 22 for a moment_  
_She feels better than ever_

All was still. The calm before the storm. But there were no clouds on the horizon; the sky was a perfect summer blue. The storm came not in the form of rain and hail, but in the shape of thousands of evil creatures waiting, just across the plain. Peter stood at the head of the Narnian army and studied the darkness across from him. He had been High King for almost ten years, but he never got used to the death that war brought. He knew it was necessary, to defend his kingdom, his friends, his family. Some days it seemed like all three were the same. And that is why he would fight this storm.


	4. Chapter IV

Part IV

_And we're on fire__  
__Making our way back from Mars_

Silence filled the train car. Each of us lost in our own thoughts. From the look on Susan's face she was mulling over Aslan's words about our ability to return to Narnia. Lucy was staring wistfully out the window, no doubt remembering the trip. Either that or she was worrying about boarding school. Then there was Edmund. He had a look in his eye that I had not seen in far too long. Ever since we returned the first time. Hope. It burned like a fire, viable only in the brightness of his eyes. I can only hope that it is enough to get him through the school year. This was going to be interesting.


	5. Chapter V

Part V

_15 there's still time for you__  
__Time to buy and time to lose_

Peter looked at the present he had just opened. It had been Lucy's gift for his 15th birthday. He could not help but roll his eyes. She had gotten him the same thing for his last 15th birthday. He wondered how different everything else was going to be. Last time he had lived a full and wonderful life. This time he was not certain what would happen. After all, there is always time for change.


	6. Chapter VI

Part VI

_15, there's never a wish better than this  
When you only got 100 years to live_

The cake setting in front of me is huge. There are fifteen candles arrayed across the blue icing. "Make a wish and blow them out, Peter." I swear, Lucy is more excited about my birthday then I am. I consider my options for a moment. _No wars_. _A good harvest_. _Peace on earth_... There are so many options. Then I take a deep breath, _for the next five years to be like this one_, then blow out the candles.


	7. Chapter VII

Part VII

_I'm 33 for a moment  
Still the man, but you see I'm a they_

"Peter, pay attention!" Peter's head snapped back toward the front and the teacher almost jumped in surprise. It was not a teenager he saw staring back at him. Instead there was a man sitting in that chair. The calmness on Peter's face did nothing to betray the battle within. The king inside fighting with the boy he knew he should be. A struggle that always seemed to be ongoing.


	8. Chapter VIII

Part VIII

_A kid on the way  
A family on my mind_

_Get a grip, Peter_. I ordered myself, _think_! But no matter how hard I tried, I could not come up with even the slightest idea for a birthday present for my youngest sister. So many different things I could do, none of them really seemed personal though. **CLANG**! The blow was enough to knock Peter off his feet. "I am soooo sorry Peter!" Peter looked up and over to see what had hit him. It was a decorative set of armour that Lucy had knocked over trying to slide past Peter who had been so deep in thought. Lucy helped him up, looking slightly worried about the look on his face. Peter didn't even try to wipe the grin off, he opted to simply head for his room and arrange for the perfect gift, which Lucy had just reminded him of.


	9. Chapter IX

Part IX

_I'm 45 for a moment  
The sea is high_

I hate sea travel. Correction: I hate sea travel when the sea is rough. The rest of the time I am fine. However, three days and two nights of rolling waves have made my stomach think that the sea is not creating enough waves and it should make some of its own. Another wave of nausea and I lean toward the bucket beside my bed. Next time the representative of the Lone Isles can come to me. I am the High King after all...


	10. Chapter X

Part X

_And I'm heading into a crisis  
Chasing the years of my life_

I am waiting next to Edmund in the cab. I knew something is going to happen. The vision, the rings... I haven't felt like this in seven years, since Jill and Eustace went to Narnia. London is unusually quiet as we drive through, the calm before the storm. The cab pulls up and Ed and I get out and head into the train station. The feeling of suspense only growing stronger.


	11. Chapter XI

Part XI

_15 there's still time for you_

_Time to buy, Time to lose yourself  
Within a morning star_

Lucy Pevensie was certain. Peter was happy. Peter had not laughed for far too long and it was the best sound in this world. Lucy could not help but laugh along.

Edmund Pevensie was certain. Peter was insane. There was no other reason he would be staring at the sea laughing like he had just solved the mystery of the universe.

Susan Pevensie was certain. Peter was irritating. Here they were on the quiet beach and he was laughing like a lunatic. _Older brothers._

Peter Pevensie was certain. He was blind. How else could it have taken him this long to realize the answer was right in front of him. He had been searching for a bit of Narnia everywhere in England. And there it was, plain as day.

Edith Pevensie was certain. Peter was too loud. But even the loudness was nice. Her eldest had not laughed so freely in goodness knows how long.

Richard Pevensie was certain. Peter was right. This sunrise was the most beautiful thing on the earth.


	12. Chapter XII

Part XII

_15 I'm all right with you_

_15, there's never a wish better than this  
When you only got 100 years to live_

The puzzle pieces fell into place. It was so obvious, Peter was embarrassed that he had not realized sooner. There was no chance that he could ever return to his previous state. All he had to do was except that and live another life. Peter had been given an extraordinary chance that most adults only dreamed of. Now he only had to live the best life he could under the circumstances. _Right,_he thought, _that cannot be too hard…_


	13. Chapter XIII

Part XIII

_Half time goes by  
Suddenly you're wise_

The door opened and closed. Peter was back from the store. The door opened and closed again, louder this time. Edmund was back from the park. Edith closed her eyes and waited. The yelling should start any minute. She opened one eye to find Lucy staring at her with a confused look on her face.

"Mum?" Edith looked over her shoulder at Peter. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything is fine."

Peter smiled in that knowing way of his, and said "Why would I be mad at Edmund? He just went out for some fresh air." Then the three siblings went into the living room leaving Edith staring after them in wonderment.


	14. Chapter XIV

Part XIV

_Another blink of an eye  
67 is gone_

The conversation of retirements had come up in Peter's economics class the day before. The heated debate that it had sparked between Edmund and Peter that evening had set Peter's mind on another course. When they had been in Narnia he had figured that he would probably die before he ever got to sixty-seven. Now that they we're back in England, he knew that he should get that old. But a whisper in the back of his mind told him that he would probably never even make it to thirty. . .


	15. Chapter XV

Part XV

_I'm 99 for a moment_

_Dying for just another moment_

Peter did not expect to feel like this. He had never expected Aslan to tell him that he was never coming back. But now that it was done, Peter did not feel anything. There was just an empty hole where his heart used to be. It was not until the first night at boarding school that Peter allowed himself to think about it. And all he felt was the pain that he would never be able to go home again.


	16. Chapter XVI

Part XVI

_And I'm just dreaming  
Counting the ways to where you are_

He dreamed about Narnia every night. At home, at school, nightmares or pleasant memories; he simply could not escape them, he was not even sure he wanted to. So here he was, banned from the one place he would like to be. Stranded in a foreign land, unable to be at peace.


	17. Chapter XVII

Part XVII

_15 there's still time for you  
22 I feel her too  
33 you're on your way_

"Peter," Lucy's voice echoed down the hall from her room. "Would you like to join Ed an' me?" Peter did not realize how important his answer would be. A simple yes or no that would define his eternity. So many variables depended on this one word. Whither he was going to die in a few short weeks, or live a long life. Whither he was going to return home or remain alone on this earth. He glanced toward Susan, her glare reminding him that he was not supposed to encourage this nonsense. Turning to sound of Lucy's voice he replied.

"Be there in a minute Lucy."


	18. Chapter XVIII

Part XVIII

_15 there's still time for you  
Time to buy and time to choose_

"Peter, wait." Susan's voice stopped him before he had even begun to walk up the stairs. "Please don't encourage them." Her eyes and her voice pleaded with him, let go of this madness, act his age, grow up. Peter just gave her a smile.

"Sorry, Susan." He he turned and started up the stairs. When he reached the top he looked back at Susan who was still at the foot of the stairs. "You have made your choice." He gave her a sad smile before adding, "And now I have made mine."


	19. Chapter XIX

Part XIX

_Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this_

Peter knew that wishing on stars was not the most reliable way to get what one wanted. But as he and Edmund walked down the street towards the place the Professor told them the rings would be buried, he could not help but glance up at the last morning star and wish that he could get back to Narnia.


	20. Chapter XX

Part XX

_When you only got 100 years to live_

Peter never had the chance to live to be one hundred. He never even got to thirty, either time. In New Narnia time had no meaning; he could have been there a thousand minutes, or a thousand years. There were only two periods of time that he could remember in his life, before perfection, back in the Shadowlands. And his current life, the perfect one here in New Narnia. And to be honest, the second part was the only one he tried to remember.


End file.
